US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

35 U.S.C. § 372

National stage: Requirements and procedure

(a)
All questions of substance and, within the scope of the requirements of the treaty and Regulations, procedure in an international application designating the United States shall be determined as in the case of national applications regularly filed in the Patent and Trademark Office.
(b)
In case of international applications designating but not originating in, the United States—
(1)
the Director may cause to be reexamined questions relating to form and contents of the application in accordance with the requirements of the treaty and the Regulations;
(2)
the Director may cause the question of unity of invention to be reexamined under section 121, within the scope of the requirements of the treaty and the Regulations; and
(3)
the Director may require a verification of the translation of the international application or any other document pertaining to the application if the application or other document was filed in a language other than English.

Pub. L. 94–131, § 189 Stat. 689Pub. L. 98–622, title IV98 Stat. 3392Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)]113 Stat. 1536Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13206(b)(1)(B)116 Stat. 1906Pub. L. 112–29, § 20(j)125 Stat. 335(Added , , ; amended , §§ 402(e), (f), 403(a), , ; , , , 1501A–582; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 112–292011—Subsec. (b)(2). struck out “of this title” after “121”.

Pub. L. 107–273Pub. L. 106–1132002—Subsec. (b). made technical correction to directory language of . See 1999 Amendment note below.

Pub. L. 106–113Pub. L. 107–2731999—Subsec. (b). , as amended by , substituted “Director” for “Commissioner” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 98–622, § 403(a)1984—Subsec. (a). , substituted “Patent and Trademark Office” for “Patent Office”.

Pub. L. 98–622, § 402(e)Subsec. (b)(3). , added par. (3).

Pub. L. 98–622, § 402(f)Subsec. (c). , struck out subsec. (c) which related to cancellation of claims and payment of special fees.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2011 Amendment

Pub. L. 112–29lPub. L. 112–29section 2 of this titleAmendment by effective upon the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on , and applicable to proceedings commenced on or after that effective date, see section 20() of , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1999 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–113Pub. L. 106–113section 1 of this titleAmendment by effective 4 months after , see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4731] of , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–622section 406(b) of Pub. L. 98–622section 3 of this titleAmendment by section 402(e), (f) of effective six months after , see , set out as a note under .

section 403(a) of Pub. L. 98–622section 406(a) of Pub. L. 98–622section 351 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date

section 11 of Pub. L. 94–131section 351 of this titleSection effective , and applicable to international and national applications filed, on and after that date, see , set out as a note under .